Lewis and Clark/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear BrainPop, Can you tell us about Lewis and Clark? Thanks! From, Mrs. McGowan's class. A television screen shows a black-and-white image of Tim and Moby. They are dressed in buckskins and standing on a hill in the wilderness. An image shows "The Story of Lewis and Clark, A Documentary Film." Ashokan Farewell, a slow, soothing Western violin melody by Jay Unger, plays in the background. TIM: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were two of the most famous explorers in American history. A credit reads, "Starring Moby Calrissian." TIM: From 1804 to 1806, they led an expedition through the unexplored western territory of the United States. Credits read, "Produced by Moby Calrissian" and "Directed by Moby Calrissian." TIM: It took them from the mouth of the Missouri River to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. A map shows the United States in the early eighteen hundreds. A line traces Lewis and Clark's expedition from the lower Midwest to the West Coast. A credit reads, "Moby is Awesome". TIM: Alright, enough with the credits. Anyway, the story begins with another famous American, Thomas Jefferson, founding father and third president of the United States. An image shows Thomas Jefferson. TIM: In 1803, he approved the Louisiana Purchase, the sale of a huge piece of land from France to the U.S. A map shows the United States divided into three sections: the early U.S., French Territory, and Spanish Territory. The French Territory's label changes to "Louisiana Purchase" and then becomes part of the United States. TIM: With the stroke of a pen, the country doubled in size. But no one, not even the French, knew exactly how big the western territory was or what treasures it contained. So Jefferson put together a scientific expedition to explore the land and contact the American Indian nations who lived there. To lead it, Jefferson chose his own secretary, Army captain Meriwether Lewis. And Lewis chose fellow Army officer William Clark to be his partner. An image shows Thomas Jefferson with Tim and Moby. Tim is dressed as Lewis, and Moby is dressed as Clark. MOBY: Beep. An image shows a group of explorers with a dog, in a wooded area. TIM: To support them on their journey, Lewis and Clark assembled the Corps of Discovery, a team of thirty-one people and one dog. An image shows the expedition launching their boats into the river. TIM: They set off from Saint Louis in May 1804, following the Missouri River westward in three boats. A map illustrates the first part of their journey west. TIM: During these first days, Clark was busy navigating and making maps. Meanwhile, Lewis was often on shore, studying rocks, animals, and plant life. Split screen images show Tim and Moby as Lewis and Clark, performing their duties on the expedition as Tim describes them. An image shows Lewis and Clark trading with an American Indian group. TIM: Over the next six months, they had their first encounters with American Indians. Many of these meetings, like with the Oto and Missouri Indians, were friendly. An image shows angry Indians waving tomahawks at Lewis and Clark. TIM: But some, like with the Teton Sioux, not so much. In late October, the expedition reached the villages of the Hidatsa Indians in North Dakota. A map displays the continued progress of the expedition. An inset image shows explorers, Indians, and snowfall in the woods. TIM: Winter was setting in, so they decided to stay put, building a fort nearby. MOBY: Beep. TIM: I was just getting to her. Living among the Hidatsa were Toussaint Charbonneau, a French fur trader, and his Shoshoni Indian wife, Sacagawea. An image shows Toussaint Charbonneau and Sacagawea. Another image shows a young Sacagawea cowering behind a tent as her group is attacked. TIM: When Sacagawea was a little girl, her tribe was attacked by a Hidatsa war party, and she was kidnapped. An image shows an Indian giving a bound Sacagawea to Charbonneau. TIM: Later, she was sold as a wife to Charbonneau. An image shows Lewis and Clark speaking with Sacagawea and Charbonneau. TIM: Sacagawea and Charbonneau could speak several Indian languages, so Lewis and Clark invited them both to join the expedition as translators. TIM: The next April, with her newborn child, Jean-Baptiste, strapped to her back, Sacagawea and the Corps of Discovery continued up the Missouri River. An image shows Sacagawea, her child, Charbonneau, and the Corps of Discovery, including the dog. A map in the background illustrates their continued travel west. MOBY: Beep. Images show Sacagawea gathering plants and giving directions. Her baby is strapped to her back. TIM: Yeah, even though she was still in her late teens, Sacagawea was a valuable addition to the Corps. She knew which plants to gather for food and medicine, and she sometimes acted as a guide, pointing out the best trails and paths to follow. But her greatest contribution may simply have been her presence. Indian war parties never travelled with women or children, so to the tribes Lewis and Clark encountered, Sacagawea was proof that the Americans were peaceful. An image shows Sacagawea bringing horses to the expedition. TIM: She even managed to get them some horses from a passing group of Shoshonis. An image shows a large mountain range. TIM: They'd need them for their next big challenge, the Rocky Mountains. In August of 1805, the group began a dangerous trek over the snow-covered mountains. A map illustrates this portion of their journey. An image shows the expedition making their way through a blizzard. TIM: Food supplies ran low, and the men and horses nearly starved to death. A map displays the expedition's progress. TIM: But after eleven days, the expedition finally emerged on the other side. In November 1805, they reached the Pacific Ocean. After spending the winter in what's now Oregon, the Corps of Discovery set out for home in March of 1806. An image shows Sacagawea and Charbonneau waving goodbye to the expedition. TIM: When they passed back through the Hidatsa villages, Sacagawea, Jean-Baptiste, and Charbonneau stayed behind. An image shows the expedition arriving in Saint Louis. TIM: On September 23rd, the rest of the expedition finally arrived in Saint Louis, Missouri, two years, four months, and ten days after they had left. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, for one thing, they were the first group of Americans to reach the Pacific by land. They also produced the first accurate maps of the American northwest, over one hundred and forty during the course of the journey. They documented hundreds of species of plants and animals, and they established friendly relations with dozens of American Indian tribes. Images show a bird standing on a leaf, along with a piece of an Indian headdress. TIM: But most importantly, they sparked the imagination of an entire nation, inspiring a whole movement of expansion into the western frontier. An image shows a wagon train. Closing credits roll. Violin music plays in the background. Tim and Moby reappear in their buckskins. Moby is playing a violin. TIM: Where'd you get that fiddle, anyway? Moby stops playing. MOBY: Beep. He smiles and returns to his playing, once again performing "Ashokan Farewell". The image fades to black. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Social Studies Transcripts